Sometimes winning isn't pretty. Take the case of Tim Tebow, quarterback of the Denver Broncos. He had an incredible college career at Florida. While there, his team won two national championships, 2 Southeastern Conference Championships and won the Heisman Trophy as the best collegiate player in college as a sophomore. As starting quarterback, he was 35-6 over a three year period. He has a host of other awards, honors and records.
In the 2010 draft, he was selected in the first round by the Denver Broncos. He didn't play much his rookie year and many believe his game is not suited to the NFL. This year, the team started off 1-4 with Tebow serving as back up. With nothing to lose and the season going nowhere, he started his first game against Miami on October 23rd and has gone 4-1 since starting. He and the Broncos beat the Jets last Thursday.
He is an unorthodoxed quarterback. He doesn't throw well, he's left handed and he's built like a linebacker. But he does win. In a league where statistics can be gaudy, his aren't. Winning is everything. Tebow is a winner and gets results. It doesn't hurt that he does it through hard work and drive.
So it is within our organizations. How do you measure results? Are you tracking what matters? What constitutes a win? Often we're afraid to put ourselves out there for fear we'll fail and face the ramifications. The truth is, we do our best work just outside our comfort zone. As leaders, it's our job to work in that space ourselves and coach our staffs to do the same. You need to create an environment where it's ok to fail if it means you're better for it. Work hard, be an example to your teammates, and get results.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Closure
There have been so many teachable moments this week with the Penn State situation. I could write a week's full of blogs about them. Perhaps the most important is closure. Certainly, the alleged victims and their families are far from closure and may never get to that point. This may be the greatest tragedy of the abuse. It is unfathomable to imagine what they have gone through and are continuing to confront daily. Hopefully, continued awareness of child sexual abuse will ferret out predators and provide courage to others to report it quickly to the police.
As is often the case, sports can provide an avenue for us to move on during tragedies and crisis. For the students of Penn State and the citizens of State College, a football game helped bring closure to an unreal week. Though I can't say for sure, I believe the rioting occurred in part because the students wouldn't have a chance to give Joe Paterno a proper send off. This certainly doesn't make it right. I have found in my life that without closure, emotions continue to run high and my foundation is less stable. I suspect this was the case on Wednesday when the Trustees fired JoePa.
Fast forward to today. The scene at Penn State was incredible. The athletes for Penn State and Nebraska took center stage and showed us all how to behave. They came together to pray at the start of the game and many did the same after. The students in the stands were well behaved and cheered their team on. At the end, with Penn State losing, they stayed and applauded their team for their effort. No riots, no demonstrations, just a hard fought game as it should be on a cool November afternoon.
As leaders, we need to remember that any crisis or adverse situation needs closure. It is the leader's responsibility to stand up and show that they are in charge, have control of the situation and are ready to lead their team past the adversity. It's not easy. Often we're caught up in the emotion ourselves. That's part of the responsibility of being a leader-be there to show the way. It will take years for the scandal at Penn State to be resolved. Don't let that happen when a crisis strikes. Stand tall and be a model for others to follow.
As is often the case, sports can provide an avenue for us to move on during tragedies and crisis. For the students of Penn State and the citizens of State College, a football game helped bring closure to an unreal week. Though I can't say for sure, I believe the rioting occurred in part because the students wouldn't have a chance to give Joe Paterno a proper send off. This certainly doesn't make it right. I have found in my life that without closure, emotions continue to run high and my foundation is less stable. I suspect this was the case on Wednesday when the Trustees fired JoePa.
Fast forward to today. The scene at Penn State was incredible. The athletes for Penn State and Nebraska took center stage and showed us all how to behave. They came together to pray at the start of the game and many did the same after. The students in the stands were well behaved and cheered their team on. At the end, with Penn State losing, they stayed and applauded their team for their effort. No riots, no demonstrations, just a hard fought game as it should be on a cool November afternoon.
As leaders, we need to remember that any crisis or adverse situation needs closure. It is the leader's responsibility to stand up and show that they are in charge, have control of the situation and are ready to lead their team past the adversity. It's not easy. Often we're caught up in the emotion ourselves. That's part of the responsibility of being a leader-be there to show the way. It will take years for the scandal at Penn State to be resolved. Don't let that happen when a crisis strikes. Stand tall and be a model for others to follow.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Invincible
It has been a tough week for Penn State fans. The indictment that came down on Saturday about the Nittany Lions ex-defensive coordinator is an outrage. Like most incidents of this nature, the cover up compounds the alleged crime. What is especially hard to swallow is that Joe Paterno, Penn State's coach for life, didn't do enough to stop the crimes or support the victims.
Before Saturday, JoePa (Paterno) could have written his own ending to a fabled coaching career. Two weeks ago, he surpassed Eddie Robinson to become the winningest coach in college football history. Most believe his time had come, but he earned the right to leave on his own terms. No longer. Today he said he would retire at the end of the season. Later this week, he may have coached his last game and will be shown the door. A terrible way to end a wonderful career.
It could all have been so different. The problem with staying in one place for so long is that you become invincible. By all accounts, nothing happened at the football facilities, practices or with the players that JoePa didn't know about. Assuming this is true, then he knew about the transgressions of Jerry Sandusky and didn't remove him from the program and report him to the authorities. He could have done the right thing and spared other victims. It appears he did not. It's more than his legacy that will be impacted. It is the lives of many who have looked to him as the ultimate leader.
Let this be a lesson to all. No one is invincible. No one is so important that they are above ethical behavior and the law. As painful as it may have been to turn in his friend, the community would have been so much better off and JoePa could write the ending to a great career. How the mighty fall!
Life presents us with teachable moments daily. At some point each of us will be tested with an ethical dilemma. How we react will define us the rest of our lives. What will you do when tested? Will your backbone be strong enough to withstand the push and pull of peers, friends and family? Decide your core values and make sure your faith in them is unshakable. Learn from JoePa's mistakes.
Before Saturday, JoePa (Paterno) could have written his own ending to a fabled coaching career. Two weeks ago, he surpassed Eddie Robinson to become the winningest coach in college football history. Most believe his time had come, but he earned the right to leave on his own terms. No longer. Today he said he would retire at the end of the season. Later this week, he may have coached his last game and will be shown the door. A terrible way to end a wonderful career.
It could all have been so different. The problem with staying in one place for so long is that you become invincible. By all accounts, nothing happened at the football facilities, practices or with the players that JoePa didn't know about. Assuming this is true, then he knew about the transgressions of Jerry Sandusky and didn't remove him from the program and report him to the authorities. He could have done the right thing and spared other victims. It appears he did not. It's more than his legacy that will be impacted. It is the lives of many who have looked to him as the ultimate leader.
Let this be a lesson to all. No one is invincible. No one is so important that they are above ethical behavior and the law. As painful as it may have been to turn in his friend, the community would have been so much better off and JoePa could write the ending to a great career. How the mighty fall!
Life presents us with teachable moments daily. At some point each of us will be tested with an ethical dilemma. How we react will define us the rest of our lives. What will you do when tested? Will your backbone be strong enough to withstand the push and pull of peers, friends and family? Decide your core values and make sure your faith in them is unshakable. Learn from JoePa's mistakes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
